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Lost passports or biometric residence permits (BRP)

You must take different actions depending on which immigration document you have lost, or has been stolen, and whether this happens in the UK or abroad.

Lost or stolen passports

If your passport is lost or stolen you must:

  • apply to your country's government (the embassy or high commission in the country you are in now) for a replacement passport, or a travel document to return home
  • provide a police reference as evidence that you have reported your passport missing or stolen. If you lost your passport in the UK, contact the police to get a reference number. If you're overseas, contact the local police.

If you have lost a passport containing your visa sticker

If you have lost a passport that contains your full visa for the UK (a vignette sticker in your passport for the full duration of your leave/visa), or it has been stolen, the action you must take depends on whether you are in the UK or overseas.

If you are in the UK you must:

  • Apply for a new passport at your country's embassy, consulate or high commission
  • Transfer your visa to a BRP card. Note that the Transfer Of Conditions (TOC) can take around eight weeks.

If you are outside the UK you must:

You can find more information in the guidance on the UK government's website.

Lost or stolen biometric residence permits (BRPs)

General advice

The UK introduced a purely digital immigration system in 2025. BRPs have now been replaced with a digital visa called an eVisa. As a result, it is no longer possible to apply to replace a BRP if yours is lost or stolen.

If your BRP is lost or stolen, please make sure you report the loss or theft to:

  • the local police and obtain a police report/lost property report
  • the Home Office

There is more advice on the UK government's website.

If you are inside the UK

You can no longer apply to replace lost or stolen BRPs. If you have lost your BRP and are inside the UK and you have not already accessed your eVisa, please create a UKVI account to set up your eVisa.

If you are outside the UK

If you do not have access to your eVisa, you will need to apply for a replacement BRP visa single entry, costing £154, to re-enter the UK. When you are asked to select a visa type, choose 'To transfer or replace your visa (vignette)'.

Please also create a UKVI account to set up your eVisa.

When to contact the Student Immigration Service

You should contact the University's Student Immigration Service if:

  • your visa is about to expire
  • you have received your passport

This is a legal requirement and we will need to update our records.

Enquiries

If you have any questions, please contact us.

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